"Metang, Milotic, do either of you sense anything unusual here?"
Theo turned to the two Pokémon beside him, a trace of seriousness in his tone.
If there truly was something abnormal behind the waterfall, then with their perception abilities, they might be able to detect some subtle clues.
Metang's red eyes flickered faintly as its psychic power spread out quietly, carefully probing everything around the waterfall. After a moment, it gently shook its head.
Milotic tilted its head as well, its golden tail fin swaying lightly. Its clear eyes focused on the waterfall, sensing the fluctuations within the rushing water, but it too shook its head.
They could feel the immense force of the waterfall, but detected no other unusual presence.
Theo pondered for a moment before making a decision.
"Alright. Metang, go into the waterfall and carefully examine the rock wall along the edges. See if there are any caves hidden behind the water. Be extremely careful."
Metang nodded. Yellow electric sparks crackled around its body as it fully activated its Magnet Rise ability.
At the same time, it used Psychic.
A powerful mental force formed an invisible barrier around its body, blocking the splashing water from the waterfall.
Even so, as Metang approached the waterfall, the surging torrent battered against it, causing its body to sway violently.
It looked as though it might be swept away into the roaring white current at any moment.
"Tyrantrum, Milotic, attack the waterfall and create some space for Metang!"
Seeing this, Theo immediately gave the order.
Tyrantrum let out a low roar. A strong aura of sand surged around its body, rapidly condensing into massive black rock fragments.
The move Rock Blast was unleashed.
These rocks shot toward the waterfall like cannonballs, colliding with the rushing water and sending splashes everywhere, temporarily weakening its force.
At the same time, Milotic acted.
With a sweep of its tail, it unleashed a powerful Ice Beam, radiating an intense chill as it struck in the same direction as Tyrantrum's attack.
The combined force of the rocks and ice briefly froze part of the waterfall, forcibly creating a fleeting vacuum-like opening within the cascading water.
Seizing this brief opportunity, Metang shot forward like an arrow, passing through the waterfall.
It clung tightly to the slick rock wall, rapidly scanning downward.
Carefully sensing the inner side of the rock face, it searched inch by inch, while Theo stood at the cliff's edge, holding his breath as he waited for news.
About fifteen minutes later, Metang burst out from the waterfall and quickly flew back to Theo, its red eyes filled with obvious excitement.
Through its mental transmission, Theo learned that beneath the waterfall, completely hidden by the cascading water, there was a massive cave.
The entrance had been entirely concealed.
What was more shocking was that Metang had previously used its psychic power multiple times from the cliff above to probe this area, yet it had never detected any opening at all.
If not for Larvesta's earlier abnormal reaction, no one would have imagined that such a hidden space existed behind the waterfall.
Theo's expression turned serious. A place that could block Metang's psychic detection was definitely not simple.
He glanced at Larvesta, which was still resting on the ground, then at Tyrantrum beside him, and quickly made a decision.
For now, he would recall Tyrantrum and Larvesta into their Poké Balls, and have Milotic and Metang accompany him into the cave.
Theo took out the Poké Balls and recalled both Pokémon.
Then Milotic wrapped its tail around Theo's waist, and the familiar transparent bubble shield appeared once again.
Metang floated nearby, using Psychic to assist, its powerful mental force pushing back against the waterfall's current.
With the combined efforts of Milotic and Metang, Theo slowly descended toward the waterfall at the cliff.
Passing through the waterfall proved far more difficult than expected.
The force of the rushing water constantly battered against them.
Even within the protective bubble, Theo could feel the intense vibrations, and combined with the deafening roar of the waterfall, it made him dizzy.
Without the joint protection of Milotic and Metang, he would have been swept away long ago.
After considerable effort, they finally passed through the curtain of water.
The moment they emerged on the other side, the scene before them changed dramatically.
A massive cave entrance appeared in the rock wall, like the throat of a giant beast silently swallowing all incoming light.
Once inside, Milotic immediately activated Confuse Ray.
A soft yet bright glow filled the entire cave, illuminating everything clearly.
The sight before Theo left him utterly shocked.
This cave was completely different from any he had explored before.
It was enormous, like a grand hall carved out from within the mountain by some mysterious force. Dozens of branching passages extended in all directions, resembling the entrance to a labyrinth.
Even more strangely, the cave was exceptionally dry, as if some force was preventing any moisture from the outside from entering.
At that moment, the Poké Ball at Theo's waist began to shake violently, and Tyrantrum burst out on its own.
The moment it appeared, it looked around warily, its body trembling slightly before letting out a low growl toward Theo.
There was obvious unease and tension in its voice.
"What's wrong, Tyrantrum? What did you sense?"
Theo quickly asked.
Metang immediately translated:
"Tyrantrum says there is a terrifying Dragon-type presence inside.
It feels like its blood is boiling, and even its body is trembling uncontrollably."
Theo's heart sank.
He understood Tyrantrum's personality very well. Although it usually acted a bit silly, the concept of fear barely existed in its mind.
Anything it described as "terrifying" must be extremely dangerous.
"Since we've come this far, we can't just turn back now."
Theo took a deep breath and glanced at the three Pokémon beside him.
Since Tyrantrum had already sensed a Dragon-type presence, that worked in his favor. Milotic possessed several Ice-type moves.
Icy Wind, Ice Beam, even Blizzard. Every one of them had strong type advantage against Dragon-types.
Even if the opponent was powerful, as long as Milotic could hold it off for a moment, Metang could use its psychic power to carry him away quickly.
At the very least, they should be able to retreat safely.
They were already this close. Just one step away from uncovering the secret of the cave.
How could Theo be willing to leave without finding out what lay within?
Tyrantrum continued to growl softly, trying to persuade Theo not to go further.
Theo gently patted its hind leg.
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing. With Milotic here, even if a conflict happens, we can hold out long enough for Metang to get us out."
Hearing Theo's words, Milotic gracefully swayed its tail, a faint chill emanating from its body as if silently affirming his confidence.
"Let's go. Tyrantrum, you lead the way. We'll move slowly and stay alert."
Theo lowered his voice as he gave the order.
Under Tyrantrum's guidance, the group advanced slowly along one of the many passages.
The massive cave was eerily silent. Only their footsteps and breathing echoed within.
The dozens of intersecting paths formed a complex maze. Without Tyrantrum's sensing ability, they would have long since lost their way.
They twisted and turned, moving back and forth through the winding tunnels.
After about half an hour of walking, the passage ahead gradually widened.
Finally, it opened up completely, revealing an enormous space.
Milotic once again used Confuse Ray, and the light instantly illuminated the entire area.
Theo looked around.
He could not help but draw in a sharp breath.
The surrounding stone walls were covered with ancient murals. Although the colors had long since faded and become mottled, the figures depicted on them were still clearly visible.
Dragonite, Salamence, Garchomp, Flygon, Altaria… countless Dragon-type Pokémon were vividly portrayed, so lifelike that they seemed as though they might fly out from the walls at any moment.
There were also many humans depicted in the murals.
They wore strange clothing, and on their wrists or ankles they all bore a kind of ornament, each set with a round gemstone.
Both the people and the Pokémon were gazing upward toward the sky, their expressions filled with reverence and awe.
Following the direction indicated in the mural and looking upward, Theo saw that in front of these people and Pokémon was an altar.
Above the altar, a massive dragon-shaped Pokémon was depicted soaring through the sky.
It had a long, winding body, and on its head was a distinct "O"-shaped marking.
"This is… Hoenn's guardian legendary, Rayquaza!"
Theo blurted out, his heart filled with shock.
There were also many ancient inscriptions on the murals.
Unfortunately, Theo could not understand any of them. He shifted his gaze further along and saw that in the next mural, those people were holding four orbs.
When Rayquaza came into contact with these orbs, its entire body emitted a dazzling light, and then it underwent a transformation.
That was Mega Evolution.
After Mega Evolving, Rayquaza's body became even larger, and numerous golden tendrils radiated from around it.
Immediately afterward, Mega Rayquaza soared straight into the sky, heading toward a massive meteor.
This was the legendary scene of Rayquaza shattering the meteor and saving Hoenn.
"So that's how it is… this is the truth behind the legend of Rayquaza destroying the meteor!"
Theo suddenly understood. These murals were actually recording such ancient and mysterious history.
His gaze shifted to another section of the wall, where he saw other Dragon-type Pokémon in their Mega Evolution forms.
There was Salamence's Mega Evolution, followed by Altaria's Mega Evolution.
But suddenly, the style of the mural changed.
Those same people were now commanding their Pokémon to battle against the Mega Evolved Altaria.
From that point onward, the mural became fragmented and incomplete, making it impossible to discern the full story. It seemed that in the end, Mega Altaria was driven away by those people.
Theo watched intently.
In the mural, those people once again summoned Pokémon, surrounding a Flygon, seemingly carrying out some kind of ritual.
Just as Theo was about to continue examining the mural related to Flygon, a sudden change occurred.
A buzzing sound suddenly echoed throughout the massive cavern, like the vibration of insect wings.
A hoarse and ethereal voice reverberated through the space.
Although Theo had never heard this language before, he could clearly understand its meaning:
"…A thousand years of freezing… why… we only wanted to survive… Mega Evolution is not betrayal… it is rebirth…"
"The fear of the Draconid people… has burdened us with the name of 'traitors' for a thousand years… and now, at last, someone has come again!"
As soon as the voice faded, a surge of icy air erupted throughout the cave. The temperature plummeted rapidly, and a layer of frost instantly formed on the walls.
"Stay alert!"
Theo shouted.
Tyrantrum, Metang, and Milotic immediately gathered in front of him, assuming battle stances.
Milotic manipulated its power, absorbing the surrounding cold air and moisture in an attempt to weaken the freezing temperature.
Metang formed a solid psychic barrier around Theo, protecting him completely.
At that moment, in the center of the vast cavern, an altar slowly rose from the ground.
Its appearance was almost identical to the one depicted in the mural.
Above the altar floated a green scale, emitting a powerful green glow that enveloped the entire structure.
The moment Tyrantrum saw the scale, it let out a roar toward Theo, indicating that this was the source of the terrifying sensation it had felt.
Beneath the scale was a Pokémon that felt both familiar and unfamiliar to Theo.
Its appearance somewhat resembled Flygon, yet there were clear differences.
Especially its wings.
A normal Flygon only had a single pair of wings, but this one possessed many more.
They formed a circular arrangement behind its body, emitting a faint, ghostly glow.
At that moment, the system interface in Theo's vision began to flicker violently with blue light, something that had never happened before when encountering other Pokémon.
The information displayed on the panel was fragmented, filled with question marks:
[Pokémon: Flygon (Mega Evolution Form, Incomplete??) Soul?]
Type: Ground, Dragon, Bug?
Category: Mysterious Pokémon
Ability: Levitate… ????
Moves: Dragon Claw, Dragon Breath, Dragon Dance, Sand Tomb, Earthquake, Sandstorm, Earth Power, Bug Buzz, U-turn, Draco Meteor, Outrage…
Theo's eyes widened instantly when he saw this information.
Mega Evolution form? Soul? What kind of existence was this?
Before he could fully process it, the green scale above the altar suddenly shattered.
The green light surrounding the altar vanished.
The mysterious Flygon-like Pokémon abruptly opened its eyes.
It opened its mouth and unleashed a Dragon Breath imbued with terrifying power, targeting Theo and his group.
Milotic quickly fired an Ice Beam, Tyrantrum used Rock Blast, and Metang raised a psychic barrier.
However, the power of that Dragon Breath far exceeded their expectations.
The Ice Beam was instantly vaporized, and the rock fragments were blasted into pieces.
Fortunately, after being weakened by Milotic's and Tyrantrum's attacks, the Dragon Breath had already lost some of its power.
Even so, cracks appeared across Metang's psychic barrier, as if it might shatter at any moment.
"Retreat!"
Theo made a decisive call, fully aware that they were no match for this Pokémon in their current state.
Metang reacted instantly, using its psychic power to pull Theo backward at high speed.
Tyrantrum followed closely behind, while Milotic stayed at the rear, unleashing Blizzard to cover their retreat.
Fortunately, that mysterious Pokémon seemed to be bound by some kind of force and did not pursue them further.
Leaning against the wall of the passage, Theo gasped heavily, his heart still pounding. The danger from just moments ago left him shaken.
He did not dare to delay even for a second. He quickly took out the special Devon Corporation satellite PokéNav that Steven had given him when leaving Mauville City.
This small silver device proved invaluable at this critical moment as Theo swiftly dialed Steven's number.
A few bursts of static crackled through the PokéNav before Steven's steady voice came through.
"Theo? What's wrong? Contacting me so late, is something the matter?"
"Mr. Steven! I've made an incredible discovery at Meteor Falls!"
Theo spoke rapidly, recounting everything he had seen in the cave, from the murals to the mysterious Flygon-like form.
There was a brief silence on the other end, as Steven was clearly shocked by the information. Then his tone turned serious.
"Stay where you are. Do not act recklessly. Ensure your safety, and keep Metang by your side. I will come immediately!"
At that moment, Steven, who had just arrived near the desert outside Mauville City, hung up the PokéNav and immediately recalled his Skarmory.
A flash of red light appeared, and his shiny Metagross materialized beside him.
Immediately afterward, Steven released another Pokémon.
It was a strange creature, entirely black, covered in peculiar markings and numerous eyes.
As soon as it appeared, it floated steadily in the air, its large red-tinted eyes blinking repeatedly.
It was Claydol, the Ground and Psychic-type Pokémon.
Steven issued his command without hesitation:
"Metagross, locate Theo's position. Claydol, once Metagross locks onto him, use Teleport and take us there as quickly as possible!"
A brilliant blue glow surged in Metagross's red eyes as it began locating Metang's position.
However, perhaps due to Theo's location within the unique environment of Meteor Falls, the psychic signal fluctuated, and Metagross was unable to pinpoint the exact coordinates.
At that moment, Claydol's eyes also lit up with an intense blue glow, releasing powerful psychic energy to assist in the search.
Finally, with the combined effort of these two powerful Psychic-type Pokémon, they successfully locked onto Theo's precise location.
A surge of brilliant blue light erupted, and the air distorted.
In an instant, Steven, Metagross, and Claydol vanished from where they stood, teleporting toward Meteor Falls.
(End of Chapter)